Road Map to QuickTime 4
This chapter describes how to use the Component Manager and how to create components. It also describes changes to the Component Manager released as part of QuickTime 2.5.
Many QuickTime services, such as image compression and decompression, are provided by components. For an introduction to QuickTime components, see the chapter "QuickTime Overview."
The Component Manager provides services that allow applications to obtain the run-time location of and access to functional objects (components). The Component Manager creates an interface between components and clients, which can be applications, other components, system extensions, and so on. The Component Manager allows applications to find components of a particular type, such as image compressors, and to select among available components of a type.
Most applications programmers need to know how to use the Component Manager. Only developers who intend to create new components need to read the sections that describe creating components.
About the Component ManagerInside Macintosh introduces the Component Manager and diagrams the relationship between applications, the Component Manager, and components.
Using the Component ManagerInside Macintosh describes how you can use the Component Manager to find and use components. These are fundamental topics that most developers need to understand.
QuickTime 3 Reference describes the new features of the Component Manager, added as part of QuickTime 2.5. Five new functions are defined for the Component Manager. All five are enhancements of or extensions to pre-existing functions. The new functions provide improved error reporting, among other features.
The section on PowerPC-Native Component Manager Support includes sample code for using the new CallComponentFunctionWithStorageProcInfo function, showing how it can be used to improve performance of dispatching to a PowerPC-Native component.
The functions OpenAComponent and OpenADefaultComponent are of interest to most developers. The remainder are of interest primarily to developers who are creating components.
Inside Macintosh describes how to create a component and how your component interacts with the Component Manager. This section also describes many of the routines that the Component Manager provides to help you manage your component. If you are developing a component, you should read the material in this section.
Inside Macintosh defines the Component Manager functions your application uses when interacting with components.
Inside Macintosh defines the data structures you need to use if you are creating components.
Routines for ComponentsInside Macintosh defines the Component Manager functions that are used by components. This material is of interest primarily to developers who are creating components.
Inside Macintosh describes how to define a component function and supply the appropriate registration information.
ResourcesInside Macintosh describes the format and content of the resources you use to define a component. If you are developing a component, you should be familiar with this material.
Data Structures for ApplicationsInside Macintosh defines the data structures that applications use to interact with components.
ConstantsInside Macintosh lists the constants provided by the Component Manager. These constants provide meaningful names for numeric flags used with Component Manager functions. Most applications programs make use of at least some of these constants.